LYDIA

 

“How are you feeling?”

I sighed a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling as the doctor looked down at me.

“I feel fine,” I said. “Fine as I can be, I suppose.”

“You took a few nasty blows to the head.”

“Am I going to be okay?”

“A mild concussion. There’s nothing you should concern yourself with. Still, I’d like to keep you overnight for observation.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. There’s nothing I want more than just a good night’s sleep.”

“That’s what I’m prescribing for you.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

He gave me a kind smile then excused himself from the room. I closed my eyes and listened to the door close. I sighed again as I was left alone in my hospital room.

My heart was still pounding in my chest. Thinking about everything that happened tonight would make it hard for me to get to sleep. But I had some measure of peace knowing that the night was over.

I felt myself drifting off. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, the sound of the door opening woke me.

I slowly opened my eyes and tilted my head.

It was Sean. His face bloodied with cuts. His leather vest covered in dust. His hair messy on his head. A couple of bruises on his cheeks swelled his eye.

But he was still as fucking handsome as he always was.

He walked up to me and whispered.

“Hey…”

It hurt just to smile but I did it anyway.

“Hey,” I responded.

He stood right next to me, his eyes peering down at me.

“How are you doing?”

“I’m okay,” I said. “The doctor said it’s nothing serious. He wants to keep me here overnight but it’s nothing I need to worry about… You look like you need to stay here overnight, too.”

“It looks like it. I figure I could use a break.”

“You look like you could use more than that. How are you feeling?”

He grabbed a chair and sat down next to me. I reached my hand up to his face and caressed his cheek softly.

“It’s nothing,” he said. “Would it surprise you to tell you I’ve taken a punch before?”

“No,” I said with a giggle. “That wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

“He landed a few more punches than they usually do but nothing I couldn’t handle. I think I’ll live.”

“Good.”

He put both of his hands on mine and pulled my fingers away from his face.

“Do you remember what happened?” he asked.

“It’s starting to come back to me… I was at the bakery with Ben. Next thing I know, that guy, Poison… He’s on top of me. He’s dragging me to his bike and we’re speeding off down the road.”

I looked up into his eyes. His stare was more tender than it had ever been.

“How did you know?” I asked. “How did you find me?”

“Ben came to me.”

“Ben came to you? Why would a police officer come to a motorcycle club for help?”

“Because he’s been doing his research. He knew who Poison was and he knew why he took you. It was obvious that you were targeted because you and I were…”

His words trailed off.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I knew where he was hiding you. Right next to the same spot where I killed his brother. He wanted to take revenge on me there. Justice, as he tried to put it.”

“But what about Ben?”

“I told Ben I needed to be the one to save you. If he came up rolling in with the cavalry, Poison would have probably killed you right then and there. I only told Ben our location when I arrived.”

“That gave you enough time to talk him down.”

“I figured I could convince him not to do anything stupid. Then Ben would take over once I did my job.”

I shook my head, thinking about how close I was to losing it all.

I put a hand up to my neck and felt the mark that Poison’s knife had left on me.

“How did you know?” I asked. “How did you know you could convince him to fight you?”

“Because as crazy as he was, he was still a biker at heart. He knew that his brother wouldn’t want me to kill myself. True justice would have been killing me with his own hands.”

“He had a gun. He could have shot you.”

“He could have but he wasn’t going to. He might not have a patch but he still has to live by the by-laws of all clubs.”

“…Honor,” I sighed. “Every biker has it.”

“Even someone like Poison.”

I smiled at Sean. Seeing him there with me felt like a dream. It was so surreal that it was all finally over.

“I suppose I should thank Ben, too,” I said. “Then again, I wouldn’t have been in that situation if he hadn’t bothered to use the bathroom.”

“The bathroom?”

“Um… It’s nothing. I’m just glad everybody is okay.”

“Me, too.”

His hands still on mine, Sean shifted his gaze to the floor as he spoke.

“I wanted to tell you something.”

“Yeah. What is it?”

He sighed a deep breath before continuing.

“These last few days without you… I was miserable. In my younger days, I would have never admitted something like that.”

I giggled at him.

“You’re still young,” I said. “How old are you? Twenty-five?”

“Twenty-six.”

“You talk like you’re an old man. You’ve got a long life ahead of you.”

“I know. And I want you to be there with me.”

“Sean—”

“Lydia, please. I don’t know what this is between us. But I know there’s something. I… I can’t explain it but I’ve never felt it before. Not until I met you.”

“Sean…”

“I love you. I love you. I love you so much. You’re more important to me than anything. I’d do anything for you. I’d do anything to protect you.”

“I know. You’ve proven that. And…”

I hesitated for a moment. But the feelings in my heart couldn’t be denied. It was like a warmth in my chest, consuming my entire being.

“…I love you, too.”

I sighed after I said it.

“But I can’t handle this life,” I said. “I want to be by your side. I want to be your old lady. But I left the big city because I wanted to avoid all of the drama. I can’t be with a man who’s always putting his life in danger. I don’t want to wonder every night if there’s someone out there who’s going to hurt you.”

“I know. That’s why I’m done.”

“You’re… done?”

“I lost my parents. The club was the only family I ever had. It was everything to me. But now I have you. I want to be with you. Only you.”

“Sean… What are you saying?”

“I’m leaving the club. I don’t need to be a Black Reaper anymore.”

I knew he was being sincere. The sound of his voice shaking told me he meant every word. I stopped a tear from streaming down my cheek and shook my head at him.

“I can’t ask you to do that—”

“You don’t have to ask me to do anything,” he interrupted me. “I need to do this. It’s time for me to move on. I’ve been through too much. I’m tired, Lydia. I’m just as tired of you are of all the bullshit. Let’s just fucking leave it all behind.”

“What about the club? Would Garnet just let you leave like that?”

“Garnet is like a father to me. He’s been in love. He’ll understand. The club has my back. I know they do.”

There were no more excuses.

Sean wanted the same thing I wanted. There was nothing left to stop us. The only thing left to do now was be together.

“Okay,” I said with a nod. “I want to be with you.”

“I promise you, you’ll never have to worry again.”

He leaned forward and kissed me softly on the forehead. My eyes closed, my heart eased in my chest.